Can my baby really learn while still in the womb?

It depends who you ask. Some cultures believe a mother's behaviour during pregnancy will influence her baby. In some countries, the concept of fetal education is widely accepted. Some experts say it may be possible for baby to learn while in the womb because he can hear sounds from about 23 weeks of pregnancy. If your baby hears the same sounds regularly in your womb (uterus), he'll recognise them once he's born.

For example, if you often sing Burung Kakaktua to your bump, your baby will already be familiar with the tune when you sing him to sleep.

But your baby does more than passively listen in your womb. He also forms associations with the sounds he hears. He'll notice the way you react to sounds, and learn to expect the reaction and the sound to come together. For example, once he's born he may relax himself when he hears the theme tune to your favourite TV show.

So does this mean your baby would gain if you drew up a timetable of learning experiences for him?

Some experts feel that your baby already has his work cut out, growing and developing inside you. There's no evidence that exposing your baby to classical music, poetry or intellectual conversation will make him more intelligent or help him to develop highbrow tastes.

The fact is, your baby can only experience life inside your womb (uterus). Naturally, this is entirely different from your world outside. As your baby has no understanding of the world yet, there's very little you can meaningfully do to teach him anything.

Instead, you can simply let him learn as you go about your everyday life. Whether you read The Cat in the Hat every day or not, the sound of your voice as you carry on as normal will be plenty of stimulation for your baby.

If you do want to actively try to teach your baby, you can provide different associations by playing or making certain sounds when you're in a particular mood yourself. For example, you could try playing Mozart when you're relaxed, or reading a certain poem before you go to sleep.

These associations don't actually improve your baby’s ability to learn. They just encourage him to make these particular associations rather than others.

There is some suggestion that the particular language that your baby hears in the womb may be easier for him to learn in later life. Studies have shown that babies who hear a particular language both in the womb and in the first few weeks and months of life do find it easier to learn the same language later on.

However, these studies are based on total immersion in the language, both before and shortly after birth. There's no real evidence that playing language tapes to your bump will have any effect.

Some experts also suggest that your baby may learn to enjoy certain tastes while in the womb. The food you eat changes the flavour of your amniotic fluid, so if you eat lots of healthy fruit and veg, there's a chance that your baby may develop a taste for them too.

It's also unlikely that you can increase your baby's intelligence by stimulating him in your womb through songs and stories. Even so, there's no harm in it either, and it can be a wonderful bonding experience.

So your best approach is probably to follow your own feelings. If you feel like talking to your baby as you move around the house or singing to him as you lie in the bath, go ahead. It can only deepen the way you feel about your baby. And that goes for dads-to-be as well.

But if it doesn't feel right to talk, read or sing out loud to your bump, that's fine, too. Your baby will hear you, your spouse and your family talking as you go about your day anyway. After your baby is born the two of you can really communicate, and you'll have many years together to perfect his conversational skills.

Right now, the most important thing for your baby is to create stress-free and relaxing moments for yourself where possible. This could include listening to music, reading, yoga or even going to the gym. Even in the womb, babies can sense their mum’s levels of stress. So do yourself and your baby a favour and enjoy lots of quiet and relaxed times contemplating the joys ahead.

If you'd like to try playing some soothing music for your baby now, why not try our great selection of lullabies?

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